It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior. The Lotus Guild headquarters was nothing like I’d imagined. For starters, it was dark. The place looked more like a dungeon than a base of operations. The walls were made of bare stone, as if hewn from the depths of a mountain. Torches mounted on iron sconces sporadically spread throughout the walls, casting eerie shadows on the floor. The scent of polished wood mingled in the air with another faint smell I didn’t recognize.

Unfazed by the gloomy atmosphere, Flavius led us straight through the lobby and up a set of stairs. As we made our way up, I caught glimpses of large steel cages filled with slaves. Among them were orcs, beastmen, and dark elves—a diverse tableau of captive races. While it was evident they fared better than the slaves I’d seen earlier, a shared expression of resignation marked their gazes.

I wonder how long it’s been since they’ve been outside...

After a few more minutes of climbing, we reached the top floor. There was a group of guards waiting for us. They all wore the same black emblems of a silver lotus on their arms.

The guard in charge, a demon with short, dark brown hair, stepped forward and turned to Flavius. “Only the prince and you are allowed past this point. The guild master is waiting for you in his office.”

Sensing Clair growing tense beside me, I placed my hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly. “It’ll be fine, Clair. We’ll be right back.”

“As you command, Highness.” Clair bowed, stepping back.

We proceeded down a long, dark corridor. The guard led us to the very last door. Flavius gestured for me to enter first, the door closing behind us with a soft click.

The office was bigger than I expected. The walls were lined with bookshelves, filled with ledgers and notebooks, most likely for bookkeeping. A large brown desk stood at the center of the room, cluttered with scrolls, quills, and various documents. Behind the desk sat a middle-aged demon with streaks of grey in his hair. His eyes, sharp and calculating, met mine as I came to a halt.

Flavius bowed respectfully. “Master Arachnus, I present to you his Highness, Prince Lucian.”

The guild master acknowledged my presence with a nod. “Welcome, your Highness. What brings you to the Lotus Guild today?”

“I’m looking for a war prisoner.” Stepping forward, I sat in the empty chair across the desk. “I was told I would find him here.”

Arachnus raised a brow. “And who might this prisoner be?”

I looked at Flavius and nodded.

Nodding back, Flavius stepped forward. “We’re looking for Leonis Heldros.”

Shaking his head, Arachnus let out a sigh. “With all due respect, you’re wasting your time, Highness. Leonis is nothing more than an old cripple who’s quite literally lost his mind.”

“You’re not the first to warn me,” I smiled. “However, it changes nothing. I still want to meet the Sword King.”

Arachnus studied me intently, a hint of uncertainty clouding his expression as he sought to unravel my intentions. Unfortunately for him, his choices were limited. Rejecting the request of a prince was not something many people could do.

“Iago,” the guild master called after a moment.

The guard from earlier entered the room, executing a respectful bow. “How may I assist you, master?”

Arachnus gestured toward me. “Escort the prince to meet with Prisoner 001.”

“As you command, sir.” The guard pivoted towards me, motioning toward the hallway. “Right this way, your Highness.”

Rising from my seat, I turned to the guild master with a nod. “Thank you for your cooperation, Arachnus.”

Arachnus bowed. “With pleasure.”

We followed the guard back down the hall, where Clair and the rest of my guards were waiting. Clair’s eyes seemed to relax when she spotted us approaching.

“Miss me?” I asked, teasingly.

Clair chuckled. “Of course I did, Highness.”

“Good.” I shifted my attention back to the guard. “Please lead the way, Iago.”

Iago responded with a graceful bow, acknowledging the request.

As we descended past the lobby, the atmosphere transformed. The walls seemed to close in, and the air grew cooler as we delved deeper into the bowels of the guild’s underground domain.

Iago led us with silent precision, his armor producing a faint clink with each step. The darkness intensified until we reached a large steel door at the bottom of the staircase.

“Beyond this door is the prisoner,” the guard informed.

I nodded, a mix of anticipation and apprehension coursing through me. “Very well, let us proceed.”

The steel door screeched as it was yanked open, revealing a chamber that seemed more like a crypt. The stench of dampness and decay hit me immediately. The small cell, barely large enough to stretch my arms, had a thick, musky air that clung to the walls.

In the corner, hunched and chained against the wall, was a dark elf. His grey hair, long and unkempt, obscured much of his face. He wore a thin tunic that was now in shreds, barely covering his skeletal frame. Countless bruises, burns, and wounds adorned his body, telling a gruesome tale of the torture he’d endured.

As I turned to Flavius for confirmation, I felt a sense of anger building in my stomach. “Is this Leonis?”

“Yes, Highness. That’s him.”

“I see...”

Approaching the dark elf, I couldn’t help but notice the vacant expression in his eyes, as if the light of consciousness had long been extinguished. His silence was unnerving.

“Leonis,” I spoke softly, kneeling beside him. “I’m Lucian Darkbourn, the prince of Azurax. I’ve come to meet you.”

There was no response. His gaze seemed fixed on some distant point, lost in a place I couldn’t reach.

“Can you hear me?”

Leonis remained still and silent. There was no indication that he had registered my presence.

Flavius sighed from the doorway. “I warned you that this would happen. The torture they put him through, broke him. He’s not the warrior he used to be.”

“Get out.”

“H-Highness?”

I clenched my fists and stood up. “Everyone out, NOW!”

Concern etched across Clair’s features as she stepped forward. “My prince, I don’t think it’s wise to leave you alone. What if he attacks you?”

“I can take care of myself, Clair,” I asserted. “Besides, my father destroyed his magic core. Even if he were to attack me, I’d be more than capable of fending him off.”

A hesitant silence hung in the air as Clair regarded me with a mixture of worry and understanding. After a few seconds, she relented with a sigh. “Let’s give the prince some privacy.”

Flavius nodded, ordering the rest of the guards to step outside.

Arms crossed, I waited for the room to clear. As the last person stepped outside, Clair gave me a nod and the heavy door closed with a decisive thud.

With the room now empty, I took a deep breath, attempting to steady the swirling emotions within me. Even though I wanted nothing more than to lash out at every demon in this damn building, I pushed past that anger and walked to where Leonis sat.

Sitting on the stone-cold floor, I crossed my legs, mirroring his hunched form. Bowing my head, I pressed my forehead against the ground.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, my voice reverberating in the silence. “I’m sorry for what my father did to you, for what my people did to your world. He had no right. They had no right.”

A heavy silence lingered in the air, amplifying the emptiness of the room. I waited, hopeful for some sign, some indication that my words had reached him. But Leonis remained unresponsive, lost in the desolation of his shattered mind.

Sighing, I sat back up and studied the vacant gaze in his eyes. It was a look I knew all too well.

“Ask him if he has a reason to keep living?” Solomon suggested.

Huh!? Why would I ask him that?

“We need to get him to remember who he was. Who he is... We need to reignite the flame that he’s lost. That’s the only way we’ll get him talking.”

Very well, then... I’ll give it a shot!

“Leonis,” I spoke gently, my hand finding its way to his shoulder. “It’s clear you’ve given up on life. I’ve been there, too... Many times before, I’ve also felt that same darkness closing in, convincing me there was no reason to keep going.”

Leonis didn’t react, his eyes remained fixed on some unseen horizon.

Clearing my throat, I decided to be more direct. “Is there anything left, Leonis? Anything you want to fight for? Any reason to keep on living?”

For the next few seconds, nothing happened. There was no change.

An eternity seemed to pass, until almost imperceptibly, Leonis blinked. It was a small flicker, but it was enough to catch my attention. His gaze, once empty, met mine.

He blinked... He reacted to my words! He’s looking at me!!!

“Keep talking to him!” Solomon urged.

I nodded. “Hold on to that, my friend. Whatever that reason is, cling to it. Use it to pull yourself back. There’s strength in the will to live, no matter how feeble it may seem.”

Leonis’s lips moved, a whisper escaping them. Relief surged through me as it seemed my words had finally reached him. Unfortunately, there was a problem. Even though his lips were moving, I couldn’t hear what he was saying. The sound of his voice was like a distant echo that slipped through my fingers. Frustration clawed at me, but I refused to give up.

Drawing mana into my ears, I enhanced my hearing.

“...There’s no point,” Leonis whispered, his voice barely audible. Those words hung in the air before silence enveloped the small room.

A surge of anger and desperation rose within me. I had missed most of what he said. All I heard was those last few words of resignation. Still, I couldn’t let this chance go to waste. I had to get him talking.

“I can help you,” I insisted, my voice low but resolute. “If there’s something you need, tell me. I can help!”

For a moment, Leonis remained silent, the weight of his gaze heavy. Then, in a fragile whisper, our gazes met once more. “Nephews.”

“Did you say, nephews?"

Leonis nodded.

"Your nephews?"

Leonis nodded his head once more.

My eyes widened at this sudden revelation. If Leonis was asking about his family, it meant there was a chance they were still alive. Hope flickered within me as I leaned back. “Do you know where they are?”

Leonis shook his head, a pained expression etched across his face. “I don’t... know if they’re alive.”

My mind raced for a solution. I needed to be quick and smart. Now that he had a reason to live, I had to do everything in my power to keep that flame alive.

First off, I needed to find out if his nephews were alive. Flavius had mentioned that the war captives were under the jurisdiction of the Lotus Guild. If Leonis’s nephews were among them, there was a possibility they were in this very building.

Their names. I needed to know their names. “What are their names?” I pressed, a sense of urgency pushing me forward.

“Twins,” Leonis rasped, his voice strained. “Cyrus... and Nalia.”

“Cyrus and Nalia,” I repeated, needing the confirmation.

Leonis nodded, a flicker of hope etched on his face.

Just as I was about to ask what his nephews looked like, Leonis gritted his teeth and fell to the ground. I watched in shock as Leonis started coughing blood, his eyes widening in pain. It seemed the Sword King was in worse shape than I thought.

“Clair! Get in here!"

The steel door yanked open and Clair rushed inside. Flavius followed suit.

“What happened?” Concern etched across Clair’s face as she spotted Leonis on the ground.

“I’m not sure... Can you help him?"

“I'll try my best, Highness,” Clair responded with a bow, immediately moving to Leonis’s side.

My attention shifted to Flavius and Iago. “You two, come with me. Bring all the guards.”

“Yes, Highness!” The two responded in unison.

Flavius turned to the guards and ordered them to follow.

As we climbed our way up to the lobby, I began to lay out the mission. “I want everyone to search this entire building for two twins. Their names are Cyrus and Nalia.”

“What do they look like?” Flavius inquired.

“All I know is that they’re dark elves,” I admitted through gritted teeth.

“Why are we looking for them?” Flavius asked, his brow furrowed.

Shooting him a glance, I rolled my eyes. “I’ll explain everything later...”

“I’ll instruct my men to search as well,” Iago volunteered, clearing his throat. “The more men we have, the more ground we can cover.”

“Good,” I acknowledged. “Let’s get this done.”

The moment we reached the lobby, Iago and his men branched off, leaving Flavius and me to manage the search on the lower floors.

As my gaze swept over the room, I counted at least ten cages on the first floor. If there were this many cages on every floor, we were going to need all the help we could get.

Turning to my men, I gathered them all around me. “I want every one of you to spread out, and search this entire floor. We’re looking for a pair of dark elf twins... Their names are Cyrus and Nalia.”

With a flick of my wrist, I added an incentive. “Whoever finds them, will receive a two-month leave pass—with pay.”

A collective nod rippled through the guards, a motivated energy infused in their movements. The promise of reward fueled their resolve as they bowed and dispersed like a well-coordinated search party.

“Do you really think we’ll find them?” Flavius asked, following me to the nearest cage. “There are thousands of slaves here...”

I glanced up at the young officer and winked. “Oh, we’ll find them alright... I’ll flip this entire building if I have to...”